Black Immigrant Daily News

British authorities issued their first ever “red” warning for extreme heat early next week, declaring a national emergency as forecasters predict record temperatures that will put even healthy people at risk of serious illness and death.

The warning covers Monday and Tuesday, when temperatures in England may reach 40 C (104 F) for the first time, the UK Met Office said. The British record is 38.7C (101.7F), set in 2019.

The alert comes as scientists say climate change is increasing the likelihood of exceptional heat waves in Britain, a country better known for gray skies and rain. The chances of temperatures like those forecast for next week are already 10 times higher than they would be without the influence of human activity, said Nikos Christidis, a Met Office climate scientist.

“We hoped we wouldn’t get to this situation, but for the first time ever we are forecasting greater than 40?C in the UK” Christidis said in a prepared statement. “In a recent study we found that the likelihood of extremely hot days in the U.K. has been increasing and will continue to do so during the course of the century.”

The UK Health Security Agency increased its own hot weather alert to the highest level, putting it to “national emergency.” The warning system was created in 2004, when concerns about climate change spurred authorities to develop their first plan to protect the public from severed heat.

”At this level, illness and death may occur among the fit and healthy, and not just in high-risk groups,” UKHSA said.

The weather alert, which covers a big chunk of England from London north to Manchester, also warns of potential disruption to air and rail travel and potential “localized loss of power and other essential services, such as water or mobile phone services.”

The two agencies issued lower level warnings earlier this week as large parts of the UK experienced higher than normal temperatures, although cooler weather prevailed Thursday and Friday. Temperatures are expected to rise in the coming days as the system that brought record highs to parts of Europe this week moves north over Britain.

“Even as a climate scientist who studies this stuff, this is scary,” said Professor Hannah Cloke, a natural hazards researcher at the University of Reading. “This feels real. At the start of the week I was worried about my goldfish getting too hot. Now I’m worried about the survival of my family and my neighbours.”

Nigel Arnell, a professor of climate system science at the University of Reading, said Britain needs to prepare for more hot weather in the future, retrofitting buildings to cope with extreme weather and planting more greenery in cities.

Adaptation and resilience need to become a political priority, he said.

“We can’t keep on dealing with extremes in crisis mode,” Arnell said.

By DANICA KIRKA

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Black Immigrant Daily News

A 56-year-old man from Berbice was today charged by the Special Organised Crime Unit (SOCU) with Conspiracy to Defraud.

John Patrick Lewis of Lot 34 Williamsburg Village, Corentyne Berbice appeared at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court before Her Worship Leron Daly where he pleaded not guilty to the charge and was granted bail in the sum of $50,000.

He was represented by Attorney at Law Eucin Gomes SOCU was represented by their in-house Attorney Towanna Hardy.

Based on reports received by SOCU, Lewis, who is a carpenter, was the recipient of $146,500 sent by the victim with the understanding that she will receive a money laundering certificate to clear her expensive package sent by her Facebook boyfriend.

He was alleged to have acted as a third party for another person who befriended the victim via the said Facebook connection. Lewis is just one of the four recipients whom the victim sent money to; SOCU is currently looking for the others.

The victim claimed she sent the money to Lewis after she was instructed to do so by her Facebook boyfriend, who provided her with all of the man’s personal information. She sent the money using Western Union money transfer. To date she has never received any package and her Facebook boyfriend has since disappeared. The matter was investigated by SOCU and the suspect was arrested and charged. The case will come up for hearing again on 2nd September 2022.

It was only Tuesday last SOCU instituted similar charges against Jaffon Hinds of Lot 106 Downer Street, Grove, East Bank Demerara. The Head of Special Organized Crime Unit (SOCU) Assistant Commissioner Fizal Karimbaksh is once again calling on all Guyanese to be vigilant against the Package Delivery and Romance Scams.

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Black Immigrant Daily News

Una elefanta y su cría fueron rescatadas este miércoles después de que ambas quedaran atrapadas en una alcantarilla de drenaje cerca de un campo de golf en la provincia tailandesa de Nakhon Nayok, cerca de Bangkok.

El incidente ocurrió durante las lluvias monzónicas cuando la cría resbaló y cayó en un desagüe de hormigón de unos dos metros de profundidad y tres metros de ancho. El pequeño elefante, de cerca de un año de edad, no lograba salir de la zanja por sí mismo y su madre permanecía cerca de la alcantarilla observándolo desde arriba, recoge Thai PBS.

Los animales fueron descubiertos casualmente por un residente, quien no dudó en alertar a los funcionarios de vida silvestre y a las autoridades del Parque Nacional Khao Yai, donde se encuentra el campo de golf. Especialistas y voluntarios formaron tres equipos de rescate para poder ayudar a los paquidermos. 

ELEPHANT RESCUE: A veterinarian and national park staff saved an elephant mother in Thailand after they performed CPR on her Wednesday The elephant fainted from stress after her calf fell and got stuck in a hole. They were both rescued and safely walked back into the wild. pic.twitter.com/O1WZhzBDZW

— CBS News (@CBSNews) July 14, 2022

Antes de iniciar la operación, se bloqueó el acceso a la zona para evitar que una manada de elefantes se acercara al lugar del incidente. Posteriormente, se dispararon tranquilizantes a la madre para que no impidiera el rescate. Sin embargo, el animal adulto, bajo el efecto de los sedantes, cayó de cabeza en el agujero, quedándole las patas traseras apoyadas en el borde. 

“Era imposible acercarse al bebé mientras la madre estaba cerca, así que le dimos tres dosis de tranquilizantes, pero se movió hacia su bebé antes de perder el sentido y golpearse la cabeza”, explicó la veterinaria del Departamento del Parque Nacional de Khao Yai, Chananya Kanchanasarak.

Thailand’s Department of National Parks / Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP) / AFP

Con la ayuda de una excavadora los rescatistas lograron sacar primero al animal adulto, al que el equipo veterinario practicó la reanimación cardiorrespiratoria, y después a la cría. El elefantito hambriento empezó a mamar hasta que la madre volvió en sí. La elefanta “recuperó el sentido tras haber sido estimulada tanto por mí como por la cría”, precisó la veterinaria. 

Una vez concluido el rescate, que duró más de tres horas, ambos ejemplares volvieron a la jungla sanos y salvos para reunirse con su manada.

Thailand’s Department of National Parks / Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP) / AFP

Noticia original de RT en Español. 

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Black Immigrant Daily News

After weeks of submissions and a rigorous judging process, 21-year-old Daindra Harrison emerged the winner of Red Stripe’s Reel Responsibility competition which challenged digital creators to promote the responsible consumption of alcohol online.

Harrison produced a 60-second Instagram reel to cop the top prize of $200,000 in cash and a two-year Desnoes & Geddes Foundation scholarship to the Edna Manley College of the Visual and Performing Arts valued at $1 million.

Harrison, a second-year Integrated Marketing Communications student at the University of the West Indies, noted that she was instantly drawn to the Reel Responsibility competition as a lover of drama and the arts.

Daindra’s winning entry shot at the iconic Emancipation Park, drew inspiration from traditional and contemporary art forms, combining modern dance moves, traditional ska music, and acting to highlight several responsible drinking tips.

“I’m always looking for ways to showcase my creativity. I love what I’m studying now, but the scholarship caught my eye because it would allow me also to pursue my creative passions,” she explained.

A lifelong drama lover, Harrison has appeared in local films and currently plays the character Tesi-Ann Prendergast on the popular YouTube series Balla. She sees the scholarship as a perfect way to advance her career in the entertainment industry.

Reel Responsibility first prize winner Daindra Harrison (left) was delighted to be announced as the competition winner at a ceremony recently held at Red Stripe’s Spanish Town Road brewery.

“I plan to marry my degree in IMC with whatever field I choose to major in at Edna Manley. With those two qualifications in hand, I can see many possible paths for me to pursue in the entertainment industry. I would love to explore talent management, production, and even going further as an actress. As for the prize money, I plan to buy a new laptop for school and a better phone to create content for social media. Big up to Red Stripe; I appreciate their efforts to push this message of responsible drinking and give creators like me a chance to share our talents.”

The second-place prize of $75,000 was awarded to 22-year-old freelancer and songwriter Javaughn Hunter. He and his partner Fiona Johnson used acting and some creative video editing to drive home his message about the importance of moderation.

“For me, the Reel Responsibility competition was a creative and fun way to spread a message that I truly believe in – responsible drinking. Additionally, I saw the scholarship as a way to properly work towards my dreams of being a singer and songwriter.”

Hunter, a budding songwriter, draws inspiration from his life experiences.

He shared, “I hope to be established in the music industry in a few years. I write conscious music with positive lyrics that can uplift people. I am drawn to Reggae and Dancehall as my genres of choice. This is part of why the competition appealed to me, it was another way to spread a message that could positively impact my audience. I am always mindful when I drink, so it was important to me to share with other young people that you can have fun while drinking responsibly.”

A trio comprising Rory Mitchell, Richard Whyte and Stephanie Sewell took the third-place spot with their dramatic depiction of a night of responsible drinking among a group of friends. The video highlights the importance of having a designated driver. Speaking on behalf of the group, Whyte, a graphic and multimedia designer, noted that the friend group was inspired to enter the competition after seeing the post on Red Stripe’s Instagram page.

“Rory and Stephanie came up with the concept and script. I agreed to edit the video because I truly liked the message Red Stripe is promoting. I was happy to break away from the typical content and make something impactful and enlightening. The designated driver is not encouraged enough in our social culture, which inspired our creative direction. There is a misconception that the designated driver is the person in the corner, not having fun; we wanted to change that and show that the DD can have fun without drinking.”

As she congratulated the top finalists, Red Stripe’s Head of Corporate Affairs Dianne Ashton-Smith stated, “Promoting responsible drinking is a crucial part of what we do at Red Stripe. Many people ask why an alcohol manufacturer would focus so much on responsible drinking, and the main reason is that it’s the right thing to do. We also want our customers to live balanced and healthy lifestyles and enjoy our products for longer. Red Stripe believes in a whole-of-society approach to responsible drinking which means we all have a part to play. This is why we chose to give our local creators a chance to amplify their voices and use their art to advocate for a positive cause.”

She continued, “We are proud of all our Reel Responsibility entrants, especially our finalists. I am delighted they took the time to become part of this critical conversation and share their unique interpretations of living and drinking responsibility.”

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Black Immigrant Daily News

Global Peace Ambassador and Humanitarian Leader Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar has arrived in Guyana for an IStandforPeace public event that would be held at the National Cultural Centre this evening.

That event is part of his global peace campaign across major cities in Europe, North America, South America, and Africa. Launched at the UN Headquarters in Geneva in April 2022, the IStandforPeace campaign is a call for the silent, positive and rational voices in society to stand and be heard.

The campaign is premised on intentions being the driving force behind purposeful actions, and that resolve to stand for peace would itself empower those overwhelmed by the rising global aggression to channel their energies into peaceful outcomes.

Gurudev, who heads the Art of Living Foundation and the International Association of Human Values, which has a presence in more than 156 countries, says conflict arises when trust and communication break down, and can be prevented if people are mentally strong and their minds are serene and calm.

He notes that rumours often inflame conflicts, and social media has become a source of both information and misinformation.

Gurudev is a global humanitarian, spiritual leader, and peace envoy who has worked tirelessly in the last 40 years to bring peace and well-being into the lives of more than 450 million persons around the world. Standing for Gandhian values of non-violence, and often called the Master of Love, Gurudev has worked with Governments and civil society leaders to progress peace in conflict-stricken areas of Sri Lanka, Iraq, Venezuela, and Colombia, among other countries.

He has also been actively involved in efforts to promote peace and sustainable development in several countries, including India, Sri Lanka, Iraq, Lebanon, Ivory Coast, South Africa, Ethiopia, Pakistan, Egypt, and Haiti. He recently proposed the settlement adopted by the Supreme Court in Indian to settle the age-old Ayodhya dispute.

Gurudev, who began his teaching journey with Maharishi Mahesh Yogi of the Transcendental Meditation movement before he began the Art of Living, teaches breath-based meditation techniques to calm the mind and to lead to improved health outcomes.

Gurudev has inspired a wave of service activities across the world among 30,000+ instructors, and over one million volunteers who also work tirelessly to bring trauma relief in areas ravaged by stress, tension, and natural disasters.

Volunteers have proactively embraced environmental sustainability by planting more than 36 million trees around the world, and they have rejuvenated thousands of water bodies in India. The event at the NCC will commence at 18:30h.

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